The present invention relates to microphones and audio systems and, more particularly, to a microphone/pickup device providing a digital output therefrom comprising, microphone element means for sensing sound vibrations and for producing an analog electrical signal reflecting said sound vibrations at an output thereof; and analog to digital converter means directly connected to receive said analog electrical signal at an input thereof and for producing a digital signal reflecting said sound vibrations at an output thereof, said output of said analog to digital converter means being the output of the microphone/pickup device.
Despite rapid advances in audio technology in general, the overall methodology related to microphones (where that term includes audio pickups and signal generating devices of all types) has progressed little beyond the stage of such devices at the time that Orson Wells employed one to scare the wits out of us with his famous "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast some fifty years ago. As depicted in FIG. 1, an early microphone 10 comprised a vibration isolating stand 12 containing a sound detecting and signal generating element 14 from which an electrical cable 16 extended to the amplifiers, etc. associated with the system. The early elements 14 contained packed carbon granules that changed electrical resistance as a function of sound vibrations. Later, positive electrical signal generation replaced the carbon granules. A diaphragm's vibrations as a result of sound energy striking it were, for example, employed to move a magnet in a coil or deflect a piezoelectric crystal. A similar approach was employed in the cartridges employed to generate a signal from the grooves in a phonograph record and for the pickups employed with musical instruments, and the like, to create a direct audio signal from the sound vibrations emanating from the device.
In a typical contemporary commercial sound environment such as a recording studio or live performance, a system such as that depicted in FIG. 2 is employed. Several modern, lightweight microphones 10' (and pickups, not shown, for the musical instruments) are connected by wire cables 18 to a mixer panel 20. Each of the microphones 10' is connected via its cable 18 to mixer channel 22 of the mixer panel 20. A sound engineer can then use the controls on each of the mixer channels 22 to control the input to the system from its associated microphone 10'. The inputs from the musical instruments can, of course, be controlled in like manner. In a live performance, the outputs from the mixer panel 20 are connected directly to amplifiers 24 driving speakers 26. While the producing of records and magnetic tapes was (and in many cases still is) accomplished with the analog electrical signals out of the mixer panel 20, the advent of the compact disk (CD) system of sound recording and playback employing digital techniques has pushed all modes of quality recording towards this approach. Thus, as depicted in FIG. 2, the signals out of the mixer panel 20 can be passed through an analog to digital (A/D) converter 28. The digital output from the A/D converter 28 is then used to make a record 30, tape 32, or CD 34. While not shown, the digital signal can be enhanced, modified, or otherwise conditioned digitally, if desired, before being employed in the actual recording process onto the recording medium. The drawing is, of course, simplified for the purposes of depicting the environment and additional processes and equipment are typically employed in the actual production of the final recorded product. In this regard, it should also be noted that while some of the more recently developed musical instruments produce "sound" by synthesis and employ digital circuitry within them for that purpose, the final synthesized output of the digital circuitry is converted to an analog electrical signal prior to use; that is, the output of the instrument is connected to a cable 16 and delivers an analog signal thereto.
Because the cables 16 are aesthetically unpleasing, cumbersome, and potentially dangerous for performers moving about while doing a live concert, or the like, the prior art wireless microphone 36 of FIG. 3 has achieved certain popularity. A small microphone 10" is placed within a hand-holdable housing 38 along with a low power FM transmitter 40. Powered by a small battery (not shown), the wireless microphone 36 broadcasts the audio signal as an analog signal modulated on the carrier from the transmitter 40. The signal from the transmitter 40 is received offstage by an FM receiver which demodulates the analog audio signal and connects it to a cable 16 leading to the mixer panel 20. Typically, a mixture of directly cabled microphones 10' and wireless microphones 36 are employed with a system such as that shown in FIG. 2.
As can be appreciated from the foregoing, even with some use of wireless microphones such as the microphone 36 of FIG. 3, a commercial sound system can sometimes employ literally miles of cable 16. For systems that must be dismantled, moved and reassembled periodically, this is a costly and time consuming approach. Moreover, the use of electrical analog signals for a great portion of the system creates problem of its own. Analog components at the mixer panel 20 inject noise and distortion. Line losses and bad connections in the cables 16 reduce the signal level while increasing the noise level.
Wherefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved microphone/sound pickup system which converts the analog signal to a digital signal as soon as possible.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved microphone/sound pickup system which eliminates hard wire electrical cabling to the maximum degree possible.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved microphone/sound pickup system which permits control of volume, and the like, through the use of non-analog components.
Other objects and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the description which follows hereinafter when taken in conjunction with the drawing figures which accompany it.